Representações sociais do ambiente, Igarapé da Rocinha, como patrimônio por crianças das séries iniciais

Abstract

This work investigates Social Representations related to the Igarapé da Rocinha (Rocinha Forest Stream), as a research site for students in the 4th Grade, Elementary Level, who are subjects of this research activity, from a school in the city of Vigia. The municipality of Vigia de Nazaré, the oldest city in the Amazon has a considerable historic and cultural heritage. Geographical characteristics in the Atlantic coastal town favor the fisheries sector, which is the municipality’s economic mainstay. In this work we observe the environmental patrimony in the city of Vigia de Nazaré, with emphasis on the Igarapé da Rocinha. This stream is now at an advanced stage of silting, mainly due to disorganized occupation along its banks. The theory that grounds this research is that of Social Representations, which has the objective of studying popular knowledge and the commonplace that is established in daily relations and practices of individuals and groups, serving as a reference for reading and interpreting reality. As instruments for collecting data for analyses we used: a) reflexive conversations (dialogues) with the studies leading to a discussion of the concept of Environmental Patrimony Education with a focus on the current state of the Igarapé da Rocinha; b) class outing for the students, monitored by teachers and researchers along a stretch of the Forest Stream; c) Seminar on Memories of the Igarapé da Rocinha told to the students by three residents of the city, ages 75 years, 50 years and 37 years; d) social representation of the Igarapé da Rocinha in drawings. The results obtained through productions by students showed an understanding and critical knowledge of the problem studied and a raising of awareness of themselves as capable of transforming their surroundings. The drawings and paintings by students showed their perception of the Igarapé da Rocinha as an asset to be preserved, as well as strengthening feelings of cultural identity and citizenship. The perspective of environmental patrimony education in the early years of schooling is important in forming an ecological consciousness, and can be broadly disseminated in educational circles with the expectation of dealing with the environmental dilemma.